''Anomalopus'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

of worm-skinks, smallish smooth-scaled burrowing

lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia al ...

s in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Scincidae. The genus is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found els ...

to the eastern half of Australia. The genus belongs to a clade in the ''

Sphenomorphus The genus ''Sphenomorphus'' – vernacularly known as the common skinks – currently serves as a "wastebin taxon" for numerous skinks. While most or all species presently placed here are probably rather close relatives, the genus as pr ...

'' group which contains such

genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial ...

as '' Ctenotus'' and the close relatives '' Eulamprus'' and '' Gnypetoscincus'' (Austin & Arnold 2006).

Species

The following

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...

are recognized as being valid.. www.reptile-database.org. *'' Anomalopus leuckartii'' – two-clawed worm-skink (eastern Australia) *'' Anomalopus mackayi'', – five-clawed worm-skink (eastern Australia) *'' Anomalopus swansoni'' – punctate worm-skink (east coastal Australia) *'' Anomalopus verreauxii'' – three-clawed worm-skink ''

Nota bene (, or ; plural form ) is a Latin phrase meaning "note well". It is often abbreviated as NB, n.b., or with the ligature and first appeared in English writing . In Modern English, it is used, particularly in legal papers, to draw the atte ...

'': A

binomial authority In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than ''Anomalopus''.

References

* (2006). "Using ancient and recent DNA to explore relationships of extinct and endangered ''Leiolopisma'' skinks (Reptilia: Scincidae) in the Mascarene islands". ''Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution'' 39 (2): 503–511. (HTML abstract)

Species

References

Further reading